Charge former



Nov. 4, 1941. T. A. oRMsBY 2,261,446

CHARGE FORMER Filed Dec. '7, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 4, 1941. T RMSBY 2,261,446

' CHARGE" FORMER Filed Dec. '7, 1939 2 Sheets-sheet 2 CMMS.

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcEj CHARGE FORMER Theodore A. Ormsby, San Antonio, Tex.

Application December 7, 1939, serial No. 308,990-

2 Claims.

'I'his invention relates to a. charge former. An object of the invention is to provide eiTlcient and novel means for furnishing a continuous supply of fuel in gaseous form for internal l combustion engines, and the like.

Another object is to afford facilities for the proper control of the fuel supply and to provide efcient means for conservation of gasoline consumption.

A still further object is to provide novel means that work in combination with the regular form of carburetion and means that will provide automatically a gaseous form of fuel.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section of a charge former constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged front view in elevation of the two-way valve of the thermostatic valve mechanism, while Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 3 3, Figure l, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 4 4, Figure 1, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 5 5, Figure l, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6 6, Figure 3, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, I designates the exhaust manifold and 2 is the carburetor. The carburetor 2 is provided with a neck 3, a butterfly valve 4 and a control arm 5. Connected at 6 to arm 5 is an accelerator rod 1, which rod 1 is operated in the usual manner.

A copper pipe 8 extends through the exhaust manifold I for a portion of its length and has its outer end suitably connected to and communicating with the interior of neck 3 of the carburetor 2. The inner end of the pipe is bent laterally and extended to an opening in the side wall of the manifold so that air may enter the pipe. This copper pipe 8 constitutes a heating unit for facilitating the production of gas from the gasoline supplied to the mechanism. A suitable covering 9 is placed on the pipe 8, -outside of the manifold I to prevent cold air from hitting the pipe, between the exhaust manifold and the carburetor. The exhaust manifold I is provided with an exhaust opening I0, Fig. 4.

Mounted on the exhaust manifold I and copper pipe 8 is a manifold valve device II (Fig. 4). This valve device II comprises a primary housing I2 mounted on pipe 8, and threaded into the primary housing I2 is an auxiliary housing I3. A cap I4l is threaded upon the outer end of auxiliary housing I3. A sleeve I5 is threaded through cap I4, and on the inner end of sleeve.` I5 is a. threaded adjustable cap I6; cap I6 is provided with a valve seat I1. The sleeve I5 has an outer threaded end |1; this end I1' is internally and externally threaded. Mounted on the threaded end I1 is a packing containing nut I8. Extending through nut I8 and sleeve I5 is a needle valve I9. This needle valve is threaded through end I1 as shown, with its inner end working through valve seat I1. By adjusting cap I6 .lon-

gitudinally of sleeve I5, a very nice adjustment can be obtained, for accurately controlling the flow of gasoline, or like substance into copper pipe 8. The outer end of the needle valve carries a lever arm 20 which extends downwardly and has its lower end pivoted to a link 2I by means of which it is connected with the rod 1. When the rod 1 is moved to adjust the butterfly valve 4, turning movement will be imparted to the needle valve and since the needle valve is threaded through the outer end of the sleeve I5, the needle valve will be'adjusted at the same time the butterfly valve is adjusted. The extent the needle valve is opened or closed during movement of the rod 1 is controlled by the length of the arm 28. Theshorter the arm 20 is the greater the opening or closing movement of the needle valve will be. It will thus be seen that the two valves will be simultaneously adjusted and that proportionate opening and closing of the valves will be controlled.

A thermostatic Valve mechanism 22 is provided, comprising a supporting frame 23. Supporting frame 23 includes a at base 24 with an auxiliary upright end 25 and a primary upright end 26. The base 24 rests upon av flat seat 21 on the manifold I. A bushing 28 extends .through the horizontal base 24 and into the exhaust manifold, whereby the supporting frame is held securely in position. A lever rodor bar 29 is pivotally mounted on pin 30; pin 30 is mounted in eyes 3l, that are formed upon the upper end of the auxiliary upright 23, Fig. 5. This pivotally mounted bar 29 is over a thermostat or expansion copper rod 32. Rod 32 is slidably mounted in the bushing 29 with itsl inner end normally engaging the interior of the exhaust manifold I, and its outer end engaging the under face of the rod or bar 29. A coil spring 33 is connected at one end to bar 29 and at its outer end to base 24, to normally exert an inward pull upon the rod or bar 29. A V-shaped link 34 is pivotally mounted at 35 upon upright end 26 of the supporting frame. The lower or inner portion of link 34 is provided with a yoke 39, in which the inner end of bar 29 slides. A coil spring 31 is fastened at its outer end to yoke 39 and its inner end is fastened to upright 2B. Secured upon upright end 29 is a valve casing 33 (Fig. 6), which valve casing is preferably threaded into said upright end 29, forsecurely holding said casing in position. Valve casing 39 is provided with a rotary cylindrical valve 39. Valve 39 is provided with an annular groove 49 into which extends the inner end of set screw 4|, whereby the rotary valve is held securely within casing 38. A fixed arm 42 is secured to the valve 39, and a control lever 43 is pivotally connected at its outer end to arm 42 and at its inner end to the outer end of the V-shaped link 34, whereby when link 34 is pivoted at 35, movement will be imparted to the rotary valve 39. Rotary valve 39 is provided with three ports, Fig. 3. When the valve is in the position shown in Fig. 3, the fuel, such as gasoline, can enter through the main inlet pipe 44; pipe 44 being connected to the fuel pump 45, and supply pipe 46 is also connected to said pump. After entering the rotary valve," the gasoline will pass directly to the carburetor through pipe 41. motor, the gasoline. or other suitable fuel, will pass from the fuel pump into the two-way valve and thence directly to the carburetor, through pipe 41. When the motor has sufficiently heated to actuate the thermostat rod 32, said rod will expand, exerting pressure on the rod or bar 29. Bar 29 is held tight against `rod 32 by spring 33; spring 33 also holds bar 29 down when rod 32 contracts. Therefore, when rod 32 cools and contracts sufdciently the pull of spring 33 trips V-shaped link 34, throwing valve 39. The farthest end oi' bar 29 rests between the jaws 36 of the V-shaped link 34. 'I'here is enough clearance between these jaws that the long end of bar 29 does not contact the upper jaw until thermostat rod 32 has actuated sufficiently. Having done so, the outer end of bar 29 contacts the upper jaw 39 of the V-shaped link 34, exerting a pressure thereon. This pressure puts link 34 of! center. Link 34 pivots at 35. Coil spring 31 takes advantage of this pivoting action at 35 and instantly throws v-shaped link 34 completely over, thereby rotating valve 39 instantly, whereupon the pipe 41 will be closed, and the ports of the rotary valve will register with the inner ends of the main inlet pipe 44 and the pipe 43, which pipe 43 communicates at its lower end with the airdome 49.

The clearance between these Jaws 36 of 34, takes care of the slow expansion and contraction of the rod 32, and coil spring 31 instantly takes care of the throwing of the valve 39.

There will be sumcient gasoline in `the carburetor bowl to supply the engine while gasoline injected into pipe 3 could reach the carburetor. Likewise, there would be suillcient gasoline in pipe l, valve Il and airdome 49 to supply the en- When starting the gine while gasoline entering pipe 41 reaches the carburetor. Then, from the airdome 49, the gasoline is passed through pipe 59 to the interior of sleeve I9, Fig. 4. The airdome 49 is supported upon angle bracket 5|; this bracket Il is secured at its inner end in any suitable manner to the supporting frame 23, Fig. 1.

The airdome 49 acts ,as a shock absorber to gasoline line 49 and 49. It also forms a reservoir for gasoline to back up into; said gasoline being forced out by the compressed air in airdome 49 after flow of gasoline from 44 to 49 is stopped, thus furnishing sumcient gasoline for the engine over the period that it takes gasoline entering 41 to reach the carburetor.

It is to be understood that when the motor is sufficiently warm, that the direct flow of gasoline to the carburetor will be stopped, and that the gasoline will be directed by the thermostatic valve mechanism to the airdome, wherein the gasoline is supplied with pressure and thence passed to the manifold valve device, to be heated into a highly efllcient gas state, prior to entering the carburetor.

I use the word pipe in this specification and the appended claims in a broad sense, meaning any suitable pipe, tube, or conduit.

While I have described the preferred embodiment of my invention and illustrated same in the accompanying drawings, certain changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates during the extensive manufacture of same, and I, therefore. reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a thermostatic valve mechanism, a frame having a base and main and auxiliary uprights rising therefrom in spaced relation to each other, a rod mounted through the base adjacent the auxiliary upright and formed of material adapting it to changes in length in response to variations in temperature, a lever bar pivoted at one end to the auxiliary upright and extending towards the main upright in spaced relation to the base and resting upon the upper end of said rod, a valve including a casing secured to the main upright and a rotary valve member in the casing having a stem extending from the casing and provided with a laterally extending arm, a link pivoted to said arm and extending therefrom, and a bell-crank lever pivoted to the main upright with one arm pivoted to the lower end of said link, and its other arm extending towards the lever bar in spaced relation to the base and terminating in a yoke loosely receiving the free end of the lever bar to provide a lost motion connection between the lever bar and the bell crank lever.

2. In a thermostatic valve mechanism for a charge former, a frame having a base and main and auxiliary uprights extending upwardly from opposite ends thereof, the main upright being appreciably taller than the auxiliary upright, a hollow fastener threaded through the base adjacent the auxiliary upright for securing the frame upon an exhaust manifold of an engine, a rod mounted through said fastener with its outer portion projecting therefrom, said rod being formed of material adapting it to changes in length in response to variations in temperature, a lever bar pivoted at one end to the upper end of the auxiliary upright and extending towards the main upright over the base, a spring yieldably holding the lever bar in engagement with the outer end of the rod, a valve including a casing fixed to the upper portion of the main upright and a rotary valve member in the cas-, ing having a stem provided with a side arm, a link pivoted at its upper end to the outer end of the side arm, a bell crank pivoted to the main upright below the valve and having one arm extending at an upward incline and pivoted to the lower end of said link, the other arm of the l0 THEODORE A. ORMSBY. 

